Anna Ivey Consulting Review

Are you looking for honest Anna Ivey Consulting reviews? Well, you’re not alone, because it’s hard to decide whether to go it alone or pay for full-on admissions consulting. This review breaks down what Anna Ivey Consulting actually offers, what works well, and where they could improve.

Pros & Cons (in Short)

Before we continue, consider this brief breakdown of Anna Ivey Consulting’s strengths and weaknesses.

✔️ PROS	❌ CONS
Their coaching helps you present your application in the same way that an admissions team would read it.	If most of your target schools are eligibility-based, Anna Ivey’s approach may be excessive.
Good if you want everything (activities, positioning, essays, school selection) to feel consistent and intentional.	You won’t find a quick, transparent price list or detailed inclusions on AnnaIvey.com.
They’re realistic and don’t make empty promises.	It may be more than you need if you only want light help, like proofreading or a simple essay check.

Anna Ivey Consulting is a good fit for students who want to get into competitive colleges and need help with their applications. However, the service isn’t a perfect fit for everyone, especially if you need quick, affordable, or very specific help.

With that in mind, let’s look at how their services work.

What Are the Main Admission Consulting Services of Anna Ivey?

Anna Ivey Consulting is a college admissions consulting service that provides one-on-one services. The main idea is simple. This company helps students see their applications through the eyes of admissions officers. Their experts give equal attention to the complete application: activities, positioning, school choice, and written materials.

For example, a student applying to private schools with tough admissions processes, like NYU or Tufts, might do better if they knew how admissions readers compare candidates with similar GPAs and test scores. Anna Ivey Consulting says that strategy is as important as stats. And they really believe that.

So, it seems like their approach is centered on these selective, holistic admissions systems. But if you’re mostly looking at state schools with straightforward GPA or test requirements, their services might seem a bit over the top.

What’s Included in Those Packages?

AnnaIvey.com says their packages are flexible. It means that students can get help with the whole application process or just some parts of it. From what we could see, the support usually covers things like:

1. Application strategy and positioning.
2. Guidance on activities and extracurricular framing.
3. Essay brainstorming and feedback.
4. Help with supplements and Common App structure.

That all sounds good in theory. The problem is that it’s difficult to know precisely what you’re getting.

At AnnaIvey.com, you won’t find how many essays will be reviewed, how many hours of calls are included, or how many revisions to expect. Usually, you have to reach out directly to get those details. This extra step is frustrating, especially when you’re facing deadlines and just want clear answers before committing.

Who Is on Their Team (Are They Knowledgeable Enough)?

Anna Ivey Consulting emphasizes former admissions officers and experienced consultants. This is one of their best features. It can be reassuring for anxious families to talk to someone who has worked in an admissions office.

The company’s branding is closely tied to Anna Ivey. This approach raises a common question: how much does the founder actually work with her students? Like many small consulting firms, not every client can talk directly to the most senior consultant.

In reality, a student might sign up expecting to work with highly skilled experts, but end up working with less experienced staff.

Now, let’s talk about their extras and free services.

Do They Offer Any Extra Services?

Extras from AnnaIveyConsulting are more like helpful add-ons than standout features. One example is Inline. This tool helps answer Common App questions and deal with school supplements. It can be useful, but primarily supports the main consulting service, not replaces it.

Even so, these extras from AnnaIvey aren’t really unique. Many admissions consulting companies now offer similar tools, such as essay trackers or internal dashboards, as part of their services.

Thus, the bonus features are nice, but they don’t really change the client’s experience.

Do They Have Any FREE Services?

Anna Ivey Consulting offers some free content, mainly blog-style articles and general advice about how admissions offices think.

The free side still seems quite restricted, however. You cannot use comprehensive essay samples, extensive walkthroughs, or step-by-step planners on your own.

AnnaIvey.com doesn’t give you anything to sample before you sign up, unlike firms that provide free webinars, checklists, or short courses. And if you’re trying to save money, it could seem like a squandered opportunity.

Anna Ivey Pricing and Guarantees

First of all, they don’t have a clear pricing list on the main sites, so you’ll generally have to write Anna Ivey to get the figures and see what your bundle will look like. That makes it tougher to plan your money. And to be honest, it also makes it sort of irritating to compare it to other consultants side by side.

Now, the policies are pretty strict. They state that fees must be paid in full before coaching begins.

And when it comes to refunds, it’s basically “no” in most cases. This firm only describes refunds in a narrow situation (like if your assigned coach can’t continue and you don’t want to switch). Otherwise, if the relationship ends for other reasons, you shouldn’t expect your money back.

‼️ As for guarantees: they don’t guarantee admission (and they’re very direct about that). In their FAQ, they also explain why they don’t offer “success rate” promises, basically saying that only schools can guarantee an outcome.

Their Professionalism in Terms of Anna Ivey Consulting Reviews

When we looked into Anna Ivey Consulting reviews, the first thing that stood out was how scattered the feedback is. There isn’t a strong presence on big review platforms like Trustpilot. But on Yelp, AnnaIvey.com has only 1,6 stars rating.

On Reddit, the professionalism complaints often show up as pricing shock and refund rigidity:

• In one thread, a user says the team quoted them $8,000 to work with Anna Ivey and that the offer “seemed… sketchy.”
• Another commenter in the same discussion says the company asked them to pay $600 for a consultation, describing the experience as putting basic advice behind a paywall.
• In a separate Reddit post, a user explains that they paid a $1,100 deposit and did not get it back after deciding not to apply that year.

To be fair, it’s not all negative. Some people also say the team was genuinely helpful. On Reddit, you’ll find comments like “so so helpful” from someone who bought a complete package (they mention they worked with someone on the team, not Anna directly).

Areas of Anna Ivey Consulting That They Should Work On

After reviewing what they offer, we identified a few ways they could improve the student experience.

⚠️ Pricing Isn’t Clear Upfront

We found that you usually have to book a call just to get a basic sense of costs, which makes quick comparisons harder than they should be.

⚠️ Too Much for Many Applicants

From what we can see, this level of strategy may be unnecessary if a student isn’t aiming for highly selective schools.

⚠️ Heavy Focus on the Founder

The brand centers strongly on Anna Ivey, but it’s not always clear who a student will work with day to day.

⚠️ Limited Free Value Before Committing

There isn’t as much free information to look at or try out before you pay as there is with other consulting companies.

⚠️ More Strategy than Hands-On Execution

Students looking for straightforward edits and detailed guidance might find the advice too general.

Our Verdict

So, Anna Ivey Consulting is a legitimate and even solid option, especially for students who want to go to selective U.S. colleges. Their experts understand how admissions offices think, and that big-picture approach can be helpful in the right situation.

Nevertheless, AnnaIvey.com might not be the right match for everyone. The pricing and package setup are a bit confusing, and the free tools don’t offer much. In addition, their premium setup can be pretty annoying if you’re just looking for quick answers.

If you’re a student aiming for top schools and need some tips on strategies, it might be something to check out. But for some others, other services have simpler pricing and better support.

We recommend you read other admissions consulting reviews at BestMBAConsulting.com before making a final decision.

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